Lauriston Lindsay, Contributor
AS THE opening up of the true state of education in our country continues, I would like to add, once again, to the commentary by way of an analysis of the 2004 Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) students placed at the school I serve: Happy Grove High School.
The subjects/skills tested were mathematics, science, language arts, social studies and communication tasks. All subjects, except for communication tasks, are represented as percentages, whereas communication tasks is rated out of 12.
Two hundred and twenty-nine students were placed at Happy Grove, a co-educational high school situated in the eastern end of the parish of Portland, which is approximately two kilometres from the border of the parish of St. Thomas.
Table I and Table II will give Jamaica a clear picture of the level of achievement attained by the 229 students who sat the most recent Grade Six Achieve-ment Test at primary schools in St. Thomas and Portland, and who were placed at Happy Grove High.
NO STUDENT GOT MORE THAN 89 PER CENT
No student got a score of more than 89 per cent in any of the four subjects they were tested on. The score of 89 per cent was recorded in mathematics.
Only five of the 28 candidates recording a rating of 10 out of 12 and above in communication tasks had a rating of 11. No candidate achieved a rating of 12.
Only four students of the cohort attained scores of 60 per cent and more in all subjects. No candidate recorded 80 per cent and more in all of the four subjects mathematics, science, social studies and language arts. All of the four candidates had a rating of 10 in communication tasks.
One candidate who scored 80 per cent in mathematics had the following scores in the other three subjects: Science 30 per cent, social studies 37 per cent, and language arts 21 per cent. This candidate had a rating of 8 out of 12 in communication tasks.
HIGHEST MARK
The highest mark in language arts was 80 per cent. Only one candidate attained this mark. The highest mark in science was 75 per cent. Only one candidate recorded this mark. Three other candidates managed a mark of 70 per cent. The highest mark in social studies was 82 per cent recorded by only one candidate. One other candidate got a mark of 80 per cent and above, and that mark was 81 per cent.
The highest mark in mathematics was 89 per cent, and only one candidate recorded this mark. Three candidates recorded a mark of 80 per cent in this subject.
One recorded 81 per cent, another recorded 84 per cent and the other recorded 85 per cent. The total number of candidates recording marks of 80 per cent and above was seven.
REMAINDER OF STUDENTS
The remainder of students, that is, those who did not attain 60 per cent and more in any of subjects or skills tested, are analysed as follows:
Mathematics: 48 candidates had scores between 50 per cent and 59 per cent. 161 candidates had scores below 50 per cent, with the lowest score being 23 per cent.Language arts: 87 candidates had scores between 50 per cent and 59 per cent. 101 candidates had scores below 50 per cent, with the lowest scores being 21 per cent.Social studies: 103 candidates had scores between 50 per cent and 59 per cent. 49 candidates had scores below 50 per cent, with the lowest score being 23 per cent.Science: 79 Candidates had scores between 50 per cent and 59 per cent. 115 candidates had scores below 50 per cent, with the lowest score being 28 per cent.Communication tasks: 71 candidates had ratings of 6 and below. One hundred and thirty candidates had ratings of between 7 and 9, with the lowest rating being 2.Of special note to all is the fact that only four students from preparatory schools were placed at Happy Grove.
FURTHER ANALYSIS
These are some of the facts thus far. Further analysis of the children placed at Happy Grove by gender will be done as well.
These children are now our responsibility and we must tackle the task of devising strategies that will help them to succeed. Once we employ the strategies and stick to it we can succeed. Colleagues, we are a force in this profession because we have some of the brighter minds in teaching. Let us not fool ourselves. With each of us doing our special bit, collectively we can be awesome. We must rise up and make a difference in the lives of these students.
Our motto is 'Out of many one people'. Our children come from varied backgrounds, with varying levels of accomplishment. However, all of them have gifts, talents, worth. It is our duty to help build their self-esteem through success in learning (extra-curricular activities included).
We at Happy Grove must admit that we are weak in this area of school life, but nevertheless there is much talent-right here at Happy Grove--in dance, music, drama, sports, speech, visual arts and on and on. We must do some research, actively seek out and nurture these talents in our children for potentially great human beings are among us right here at Happy Grove. The parents too must come along on this fantastic voyage. Where are we going? Up!
SUMMER PROGRAMMES
It is obvious that interventions such as carefully planned summer programmes, afternoon programmes at the school and in the community from whence these children come (church halls, community centres and the like) for remediation in language arts and mathematics must be the norm for some of these students who are well below acceptable basic standards for children entering high schools.
With the functioning reading shelters, with parents being given as much training as they can manage in reading, and with as many teachers as is necessary being retooled to effectively contribute to the reading programme at the school, we will see improvement in all of this. Vigilance and caring on the part of the instructional staff cannot be over-emphasised.
TWO-PRONGED DOSE
With the two-pronged dose of vigilance and caring by parents and the instructional staff we ought to see much better cooperation on the part of our students towards their own prosperity as human beings. The nexus, though among teachers, parents and students must be the guidance programme in each school. Solid, creative and innovative guidance counsellors can contribute significantly in schools, which ought to be warm and productive entities; a place where students love to be.
Social engineering in some of our schools has become lacklustre. Confidence in such programmes which are vital to the vibration in the school, the love for school, the purpose of life, producing happy children have waned.
COLLECTIVE APPROACH
The board, the principalship, the administrative team, the guidance programme ( to include form time) must collectively be the galvanising agent in any school, bringing together parents, instructional staff, the spiritual community groups, social community groups and students in the push for social and academic excellence among the student body. These are surely exciting times in education, we all must get with it.
Lauriston Lindsay is the principal of Happy Grove High School. You can send your comments to lauriston48@hotmail.com
